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GIFTS & TASKS
"DONS et DEVOIRS"
Helping each other live the Gospel at home & around the world
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International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities (IO-MLC)
Region of North America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland
October, 2021
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QUICK LINKS
NEWS
LETTERS
WEBSITES
(under construction)
(under construction)
(NACMS)
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Greetings!
October, 2021
The Guest Writer this month is Martha Jeong, National Responsible for Incheon, Korea. She speaks about ways the MLCs in the Incheon area of Korea are learning to LIVE the Marianist Spirituality. And then we see how this commitment carries over into their choice of Mission. Giving up plasic is not easy in our world today!
Then I share a new video that the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS) just released. It tells the wonderful story about the SM General Chapter of 1981 held in Linz, Austria. The SM Rule of Life was rewritten to reflect the Vatican II Spirit, and a deeper understanding of Chaminade's vision for the SM and the Marianist Family. The Holy Spirit was working overtime with the Brothers at that meeting! It is exciting to hear the story from the Brothers' own words!
I end by asking all of our readers to pray for our International Leadership Team as we conduct our last face-to-face meeting together during this term. We will be preparing for the International Lay Assembly which will occur in the summer of 2022 in Madrid, Spain. We have much to do as our branch grows into our role of becoming good stewards of the Marianist Charism.
And FINALLY, I want to Congratulate(!) newly ordained Fr. Michael Ki from Korea. You can see his picture in the second story by our guest writer, Martha Jeong. It is always exciting to see our Marianist Family growing--both vowed and lay!
Marceta
Marceta Fleming Reilly
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Learning and Living Marianist Spirituality
By Martha Jeong
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Individuals and communities of Incheon MLC members strive to live like Mary while meditating on Mary's attitude toward life within the Bible and the liturgical calendar. Members reflect on themselves as a specific plan to realize "living in the world in intense Marianist spirituality."
Also, we are sharing the Marianist spirituality by studying 'The Grain of Wheat' (by Father Quentin Hakenewerth) through an online community meeting using Zoom. Members in each community are spiritually exchanging by sharing good news and the words of the founder through social media.
We are setting up a detailed plan to categorize Sister Adele's letters by subject to understand and deepen the founder's spirituality. We want to start the plan as soon as possible. Although it requires a lot of time, passion and effort of the participants, we think it is necessary because it would undoubtedly help members understand Sister Adele's spirituality well through the letters and put it into practice in life.
Due to COVID-19, liturgical services at hospitals in the parish and music services at nursing homes have been suspended due to quarantine rules. However, members are visiting afterschool study rooms and married families of immigrants in local communities to help children learn and provide counseling for married immigrant women. Also, as a part of the urban-rural coexistence activity, we sell agricultural products produced in rural areas directly to members and city dwellers.
COVID-19 has brought many changes to our daily lives.
We become afraid of meeting people directly, and we are driven into an uncertain future. Still, we wish that the days of hope God gives us be the days in which we think about how we can be a hope to our impoverished and suffering neighbors or how to turn ourselves into gifts that would bring bright smiles to them, with commitment.
"May you realize that good God mixes the cross and comfort of this life with his wonderful wisdom." (Sister Adele's Letter No. 199.4, 1813
For more information, contact:
Martha Jeong, National Responsible
Incheon, Korea
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"No Plastic!" Campaign
Incheon, Korea MLC
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The use of plastic containers for quarantine purposes has increased rapidly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Incheon MLCs began encouraging their members to join the 'No Plastic' vow campaign, which is currently promoted by an environmental protection group, on the occasion of Earth Day on September 1.
It is a nationwide environmental protection campaign. As a community and individual, Incheon MLC also pledged to reduce single-use plastic containers in daily life and decided to stop using single-use plastic water bottles and coffee cups first.
We held the Marianist World Day of Prayer on October 10 with Our Lady of the Year, Our Lady of Subukia, Kenya. Not all members were able to attend due to the COVID-19 quarantine rules, but all community representatives attended.
Min-young (Michael) Ki, ordained as a priest on October 9, presided over the mass. We prayed that he would live the rest of his life by the initial resolution
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'No Plastic' Vow, after Marianist World Day of Prayer
on October 10.
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The Pivotal SM General Chapter of 1981 |
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The North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS) released a new production they created telling the story of the Society of Mary's 1981 General Chapter. This video is the result of over two years of work gathering interviews, archival footage, photos, and documents.
This chapter was significant because it finalized the new Rule of Life for Marianists brothers and priests. It shapes and guides the way they lived after Vatican II, as well as their renewed understanding of Chaminade's vision for the Society of Mary and the Marianist Family.
In this video, you'll find interviews with: Bro. Ray Fitz, Fr. Bert Buby, Fr. Jim Heft, Fr. Pat Tonry, Fr. Quentin Hakenewerth, Fr. Stephen Tutas, and Fr. Dave Fleming of this memorable event.
For comments or
more information email:
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Our International Lay Team and the World Council
will be meeting in Rome in early November.
Please join us in praying for successful meetings
and decisions made in the Marianist Spirit!
Leadership Prayer
- Leadership is hard to define.
- Lord, let us be the ones who define it with justice.
- Leadership is like having a handful of water.
- Lord, let us be the people to seek out those who thirst.
- Leadership is not about watching and correcting.
- Lord, let us remember it is about listening and connecting.
- Leadership is not about telling people what to do.
- Lord, help us find out what people need.
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Leadership is less about love of power and more about power of love.
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Lord, as we undertake the role of leader, let us be affirmed by the servant leadership we witness in Jesus.
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Let us walk in the path He has set and invite others to join.
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When we fail, help us to see the opportunity to grow and serve you better.
May our greatest passion be compassion.
Our greatest strength, love.
Our greatest victory, the reward of your peace.
In leading, let us never fail to follow.
In loving, let us never fail.
AMEN!
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Calendar of the Marianist Family
- Nov. 6 Memorial of Blessed Miguel Leibar, Joaquin Ochoa, Sabino Ayastuy, & Florence Arnaiz, Martyrs
- Nov. 8-9-10: Meeting of the Leadership Team of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities
- Nov. 11-12-13: Meeting of the World Council of the Marianist Family
- Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Day in the USA
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Share a Story!
Gifts and Tasks is published on the 4th Friday of each month. We need local and national news, stories, reflections, and photos. Please send submissions and ideas for next month's issue to Marceta Reilly by the previous Sunday.
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